National Republican., 1887-12-07
AIR BRAKES FOR FREIeHTs.
Successful Tests OF the Westinghouse
Automatic Brake.

larly interested in any inventions which
reduce the chances OF collision OF trains In
motion, with the consequent loss OF life
and the pecunlary loss from the wrecking
Of trains and smashing Of all kinds OF roll.
ing stock. A practical experiment OF any
device or plan intended to overcome the
dangers will always attract crowds OF rail-
road men, who will examine minutely the
workings Of the device.
Much interest was therefore manifested
in the test given by the Westinghouse Air
Brake Company, on the Washington aud
Ohio railroad, near Falls Church, Va, yes
terday. The company had provided
special train Of six coaches, which was illleu
with prominent railroad men, inventors,
patent Office examiners, and some news
paper men. Among those present were j.
W. Reynolds, division supes5intepp-
w. Bernard, road master OF the
Richmond and Dauville; j. p. Mine
tree, general purchasing agent OF the Rich.
mond and Danville; j. +. Devine, general
superintendent Of the Coast Line; q. Il.
Talcott, superintendent OF the South Caro-
lima division Of the Richmond and Dam
vile; w. b. Ryder, master OF trains, Rich.
mond and Danville; j. ii. Green, master
mechanic Of the South Carolina division of
the Richmond and Danville; t. W. Gentry,
master mechanic Richmond and Danvllle
division; j. w. Gibbs, master mechanic OF
the Atlantic and Coast line division OF the
Richmond and Danville; David Holz, su-
periDtendent OF motive power OF the West
ern Maryland road Harry Walters, gen
eral manager and vice president OF the Az.
lantic Ceast line +. ID. T. Meyers, general
manager OF the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac road; j. Il henley, snpsrin-
tendent Of transportation OF the Atlantic
Coast line; Clayton Randolph, assistant
general manager Of the Richmond and
DAnvile; q. NJ. Bolton, chief engineer
Richmond and Danyile; q. NJ. Dalton, sill
peiintehdent Of telegraphs Richmond aud
| DaGville; Il. ID. Wade, superintendent OF
motive power Richmond aud Ddnville w.
| II. Green, superintendent RichnJ1d aud
| Dauville; +. Berkeley, superints sadent of the
| Atlantic and Coast Line division, Rlchmond
| and DaIville; ID. +. McBee, superiutCn.
| dent OF the Western North Carolina r0a |;
| J. NJ, Suily, general superintendent II Gh
mond ard Fredericksburg; Washington
| Bryan, president of the Atlantic and North
Carolina road; VIM, Smith, superintendent
| Of the Raleigh and CASTOR road b. II, Hard
| ing, superintendent of machinery Of tue
| Raleigh and CASTOR road; i. II, Barker, az
sistant engineer Northern Central; A. w.
| sumner, purchasing agent Of the Northern
| Central; Supt. Alasten, Of the Maryland
Central Col. Ludlow, ID strict commis.
sioner; Prof. \ q. Wilkinson, and Messrs.
| Boyce, Anghinb0ugh, and Brown of the
| patent office; l.. T. Meyers, superintendent
| Of transportation OF the Seaboard Air Line,
and James IL. Drake. general freight agent
of the Piedmont Air Line.
| The test was made with train OF fifty
freight cars unloaded, each IS feet inches
In length. having capacity OF GO,0OO
| pounds The stretch OF road selected was
admirably located for the test, being ab jut
mile straightaway, with an easy curve at
either end. The grade averages about52 feet
to the mile. This train is the same, with
the identical engine, equipments, and crew,
with which the tests have been made in
ten other principal cities, including Mime
apolis, New York, Chicago, st. Louis, Cia.
cinnati, and Pittsburg. The brake used
was the standard, and was not especially
fitted, but intended for practical work. An
automatic device, causing leverage which
would equal that ef loaded train, WAS also
applied.
running at nineteen and half miles per
hour, q rather higher rate than the average
train speed, and is known as the emergency
stop; that is, just such an application OF
the brake as an engineer would make
should he suddenly discover an obstruction
on the track. The train rolled along
smoothly and darted by the signal post With
|
the brakes were applied and the speed ma
terially decreased, the heavy train being
brought to q complete staudstill In 10l Sec
onds and in distance Of l59 feet, just three
ard one half car lengths. The first test
was marvellous success and won un
bounded admiration from the railroad men
| present.
Then the train was hauled back to the
starting point for the second test. II came
flying down the track at a terril. rate,
great volumes Of smoke belching from The
stack, the engine rocking and sgayiGg as
If 1t would jump the rails and all Of the
fifty cars bounding over the track at q
speed not less than tnat CT flying ptssan-
ger express trains. Al the given poi2t the
the fearful momentum OF II miles an
hour, with the aided weight OF lfty
freight cars, came to dead standstill IL
the almost incredibly short space OF G9l feet
Just little short oil IS car lengths and In 20
seconds after the application OF the BRAKES
On the next test the spectators boarded th'
train, and the same bigh rate Of speed
forty-two miles an hOur-was atttined
The brakes were app'Ied, but scarcely an!
shock was perceptible as the train wa
slowed up. The gentlemen who wer
standing In the center OF the roomy fretgh
cais were scarcely disturbed, and not on
of them was obliged TO catch any supper
to retain his equilibrium. The creates
shock came from the reaction at the CO
plete stop, and even that was not as Vi Jlen
as the ordinary stop of a passenger train a
q station. The whole train was stopped IL
, | rs feet and 2li seconds. The trai
was then stopped and the brakes released
to show how quickly 1t could be done. Ii
four seconds from the signal the brake
were off aud the train under way.
Then came the mandrake test The reg
| - Hpa hral at hat
respective posts waiting for the signal t
apply the brakes. The train was running
at twenty miles per hour, and altboug
! every brakeman was ready and hustled
, lively to stop the train, 1t took sixty seye
seconds 10 bring 1t to q stnndstlll, Will
forty-three Of the cars rolled by, covering
+. distance Of ,G4S feet--a decided contrast
/ the first test, when the train was stopped |
D ten seconds and half and In 150 feet
, Brakeman on regular trains don't work u
lively as did this crew, either.
The train was then broke In two Will
b running at twenty-three miles an houl
5 and the sections stopped within iltty.eigt
5 feet Of each other. Lunch was then served
after which came passenger service ties
+ A train Of twenty cars was run at spec
l OF twenty miles per hour and stopped In 81
n seconds from the application OF the brak(
h having run but eighty one feet and onl
3 one and one-halt car lengths beyond tn
signal post. Then the same train came ill
ing down at q forty.mile gait--a speed a
taiEed by lightning express trains--and WI
A stopped In nine car lengths in eleven an
b ouc.half seconds, having covered dlstanc
, of but $50 feet after the brakes were al
piled.
4 The tests were all remarkably successful
|, and II this brake were piled TO all frelgt
trains less brakemen would he killed an
: less rolling stock demolished.
THE dTummeTs all say that their business
ID. | MI oh mn IN Is .